Thin Ice
by LeDbrite
Summary: In love with Jack Frost but disappointed that he doesn't return the affection, Tooth is driven to learn more about the young Guardian. Unknowingly she walks into something much deeper, a plan carefully initiated, and can't get out. Having noticed Tooth's odd behavior, Jack tells the other Guardians but they don't believe him. Acting on his own, Jack gives everything to help her.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This story was originally published on my dA account, but seeing as it was written spur of the moment, there are several points that didn't match up. Now, you're welcome to read the full story on dA, and some might already be familiar with it, but this version will be the edited, cleaned up, version and I'll probably add more details to it and possibly add scenes. Ultimately, this will probably end up being the better version lol.

Special thanks goes to leo-gemini, WhiteHeartFlame, AcidSpades, and Frostfairy7 (they're all on dA) for being my ever encouraging team of readers who never failed to brighten my day. Love you guys *hugs all around*

...

Plotline: The ice is starting to break...

Shipping: Frostbite/Rainbow Snowcone

Genre: Romance/Adventure

Summary: In love with Jack Frost but disappointed that he doesn't return the affection, Tooth is driven to learn more about the young Guardian. Unknowingly she walks into something much deeper, a plan carefully initiated, and can't get out. Having noticed Tooth's odd behavior, Jack tells the other Guardians but they don't believe him. Acting on his own, Jack gives everything to help her, proving his love for her through it, even as he goes to extremes.

* * *

/\\\/\\\

* * *

A thin barrier,

Thinner than ice,

A weak point,

Hidden in strong.

Step gently on the ice,

Beware the deepening cracks,

Seek ever onward,

To the place within,

Where is the thin ice,

Trialed to breaking,

Love is painstaking,

A barrier about to break.

Seek kindly love,

The guarded thoughts,

Of echoes past,

And present, on.

Prove its worth,

Press on through the murk,

Don't heed the breaking point,

Tread freely on the ice.

When it cracks,

What will it reveal,

What flows beneath,

At its heart what is the keep?

Roiling turmoil,

Driven strife,

Unclear passage,

To deeper plight.

The purpose within,

What all is sought,

Are answers answers,

Or is all for naught?

Where is the breaking point,

The storm's last lash,

A love's deep burning,

It all is ash.

Tread gently on the ice,

To love's last yearning,

Peer through the small hole,

The reflections cast.

Stay always strong,

Self sacrifice it all,

While guile be leads,

Purpose recedes.

When all is said and done,

What scars will be there,

What will remain,

And who will still stand?

Torments endured,

All for another,

A price paid,

To free the other.

Love be rendered,

Inconsequential or divine,

When the ice breaks,

Who will fall?

Let love sink in,

And have no end,

Rescued, arisen,

Returning to thee.

* * *

/\\\/\\\

* * *

A/N: Final note, I began the original story with this poem, as it kind of gives voice to the feel of the story, so it was only fitting to include it here too. After this though, I can promise that there won't be any more poetry.

Thanks for reading! And I'll see you in the next chapter;) Until then.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thin Ice: Prologue**

Supporting the drooping leaf with a gentle hand, she crooned a song to it, restoring the lost life to it. The song brought vivid memories to mind of her childhood. Her father had made the song up for her, to soothe her back to sleep when she woke in the night, to bring comfort when sorrows drew near, or just as a simple way of expressing his love.

Climbing onto his lap, she'd wrap her arms around him and beg him to sing it to her. Compliant to her every request, he would, voice low and tender as he crooned the lyrics, and she'd fall asleep with her head on his chest.

That was long ago. Now she had nothing to do with him.

Closing off such memories, she strolled silently among her grove, never stirring a leaf as she passed. Humming softly, and giving tender caresses to the ones that needed them, she healed the plants, restoring the grove to its constant state of perfection.

There'd been one time when she'd shared the lullaby with someone else, for a time she'd left her home and restored the world from some of its decay, but she'd moved on from them and she had let the world fall back to its hole in the mire, decaying from the filth humans poured into it.

Outside her grove the world withered and crumpled, people who claimed to be followers of Mother Nature said that it was because she was angry at what people had done to the earth, but they didn't know her. Once she had been able to heal it, repair it of the blight and the damage disease brought to crops and foliage, taking pleasure in what she did, and reveling in it. But her powers weren't the same anymore. They had been reduced to only a few broken fragments, and even those were hardly hers.

It wasn't the world that had hurt her; it'd been her family. Once upon a time she'd had a family, but not anymore.

* * *

.:oOo:.

* * *

Snapping his fingers, lightning danced across his palm, alive, restless, stirring with impatient movements to be free.

During his rise to power, Pitch had come to him.

...

 _"What do you want Pitch?" he asked, gathering his storm clouds behind him in case the Nightmare King decided to eliminate him, too, as Pitch was doing to the chosen Guardians._

 _"Not to kill you, like you're fearing," Pitch said with a dark smirk. "I want to enlist you... for a favor. Yes, that's how we shall put it."_

 _"Like what?" He didn't trust Pitch. After being dormant for so many centuries, his return was uncanny._

 _Pitch laughed, "Let's say, I want a light show."_

 _He looked at him, confused._

 _"When I make my appearances, all you have to do is provide storm clouds and lightning. I won't require anything else of you."_

 _"But... you're the enemy!" he stuttered. "I can't go against the Guardians!"_

 _"Don't you?" Pitch swirled black sand around a finger. "Children fear you already and I never even had to ask you."_

 _Shrugging, "So?" It was true his storms did scare kids. Guiltily, he recalled the times he'd enjoyed deliberately scaring children he knew that were afraid of thunderstorms, letting the thunder roll for an ominously long moment, lightning snapping jagged scars through the sky._

 _"You wouldn't really be going against the Guardians. When have they ever needed your assistance?" Pitch reassured smoothly._

 _Pitch was right, he never had anything to do with the Guardians, but that didn't mean he could just turn his back and help Pitch. "I won't fight them." Pitch didn't know him, he knew more about Pitch then Pitch knew about him._

 _"And I'm not asking you to."_

 _"What happens if you succeed? Everyone will see it as I helped you."_

 _"We'll work that out when we get to it."_

 _Meeting the Nightmare King's eyes, he knew he shouldn't trust him, but he accepted anyway. "All right, but I'm only doing effects, nothing else." Lifting both hands, he caused thunder to rumble threateningly. "And I will fight you if I have to."_

 _Pitch laughed sneeringly. "The Guardians are barely able to stand against me and you think you can fight me on your own?"_

 _'I have more power then you think', he thought, but didn't correct Pitch's statement. Let him underestimate him. His thoughts didn't matter._

…

Safe in his storm clouds, he'd watched the Guardians defeat Pitch. It didn't bother him that Pitch had lost because he knew that if Pitch had won he wouldn't have been satisfied until every single Guardian was gone. And as they had agreed, he would not have been fighting against the Guardians, so what defense was he to give against Pitch destroying him in turn?

Spreading his hands, palms down, he sprinkled water on the ground. "Find Pitch," he commanded. If nothing else, he would absolve Pitch of his debt, one favor deserved another, but he didn't plan on failing. He needed to succeed or he would've pinned all of his hopes on an idle dream.

Sinking into the ground, he felt the water droplets connect with the underground water. Immediately obedient to his every whim, the water responded quickly. Plugged in to every source of water, he sent ripples out farther and farther till he found what he was looking for: The cavernous space that was Pitch's lair.

Stepping down, he announced his arrival by sending lightning dancing across the walls around the room. "Pitch! I know you're here!"

"You dare to enter my domain?" The Nightmare King didn't appear but the room was heavy with his presence.

"I'll fight you if I have to! You think you can fight me on your own?" he flung Pitch's words back at him. "You asked a favor of me Pitch, and I did it, now it's time to return the deed."

There was a low laugh. "Did the Guardians send you to rub their victory in? Because I won't give you anything."

"When have they ever needed my assistance," he returned. Pitch had given him all the words he'd need for this meeting, and after the way Pitch had come upon him suddenly, all those many months ago back then, it felt good to use them against him now. "I'm doing this for myself."

"Does it make a difference?" Pitch asked sounding bored.

"Listen Pitch," anger crept into his voice now. "I gave you your lightning and storms clouds, now it's time for you to give me what I want, and I want something very badly. I'll get what I want whether you'll help me willingly or not." Where was he hiding? Unable to see him, he directed his glare to the room in general. Lightning flickered across his shoulders, his hair standing on end. Irked more then usual he let his temper flare. He could've smiled when he heard Pitch consent.

"If you're not helping the Guardians then this could be amusing."

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/\\\/\\\

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Hopefully you enjoyed it. No guarantees that the next chapter will be up soon, as I'm working on rewriting this around college and my other stories, but I just posted two chapters this week as the first wasn't really a chapter. Until then.


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